Imperfect C++: Practical Solutions for Real-Life Programming

Nowhere else have I come across a resource containing so many full and effective answers to problems such as: - how to do multidimensional arrays? - how to skirt around the priblems of the (lack of a) C++ ABI? - how to create (usable) strong types? - how to safely and efficiently work with variable length memory requirements at function/block scope? - how to understand the baleful nonsense that is C++'s ruleset for integral conversions and promotions and come up with decent extended integer classes? - how to use master operations to write safe but fast code? - how to write user-defined cast operations that operate correctly and safely? - and on and on and on ... I agree with a couple of the earlier reviewers that some bits could have been left out, but the rest of the book more than makes up for it, so it's still a five-star effort. What really stands out more than anything else is that the author really does understand the issues, and really has encountered these problems in real work. Some other of the elite C++ set don't give this impression half as well ... ... and I even laughed along at most of his jokes.

This book deserves its five-star rating, although it's far from perfect. I'd rate it as follows: Part 1 Chap 1 - 8/10 Chap 2 - 7/10 Chap 3 - 6/10 Chap 4 - 8/10 Chap 5 - 7/10 Chap 6 - 7/10 Part 2 Chap 7 - 9/10 Chap 8 - 10/10 Chap 9 - 10/10 Chap 10 - 10/10 Chap 11 - 9/10 Chap 12 - 8/10 Part 3 Chap 13 - 7/10 Chap 14 - 8/10 Chap 15 - 7/10 Chap 16 - 6/10 Chap 17 - 7/10 Chap 18 - 8/10 Part 4 Chap 19 - 10/10 Chap 20 - 10/10 Chap 21 - 5/10 Chap 22 - 7/10 Chap 23 - 7/10 Part 5 Chap 24 - 7/10 Chap 25 - 10/10 Chap 26 - 7/10 Chap 27 - 10/10 Chap 28 - 8/10 Chap 29 - 10/10 Chap 30 - 8/10 Part 6 Chap 31 - 10/10 Chap 32 - 10/10 Chap 33 - 10/10 Chap 34 - 10/10 Chap 35 - 10/10 I think the author would have been better dropping, say, 10-20% of the material, especially the material on Veneers, fundamental type issues and RRID; boring and off the point, and felt like filler. But where the book shines, it *really* shines, and well worth the cover price. The material on casts, shims, memory, arrays, properties, arithmetic types, and pretty much the whole of Part 2 (Threading, ABI, Statics, Dynamic Libraries) are not only outstanding in quality, breadth and detail, but are largely untouched by the 'leading lights' of the C++ pantheon. These are very hard subjects, and the author has truly made his mark with this material. I'd say that the author is himself like C++: brilliant but imperfect. Let us hope that, like C++, he doesn't let a spotty start prevent him maturing into something better. He promises at the end to return with "Extended STL", in which we may hope that he touches the highs of Imperfect C++, without trawling the lows. In short: buy it, you'll like it.

With a very few exceptions - e.g. veneers (Chapter 21) - the contents of this book are just stunningly practical and useful. Ever wanted to use C++ objects between binary components written in different compilers? (Chapter 8) Ever needed *real* multidimensional arrays? (Chapter 33) Did you think that C++ doesn't support efficient Properties, a la Delphi & C#? (Chapter 35) Ever wanted to know about how to write non-trivial custom cast operators? (Chapter 19) Want to know how static objects and multi-threading can co-exist? (Chapters 10 & 11) Interest in applying Design by Contract principles to C++? (Chapter 1) Need strong typedefs? (Chapter 18) And the list goes on and on. And, being a fellow Brit, I can't help but warm to the author's sense of humour. Buy one, and get one for your mum! D.T.

It's nice to see a book covering intermediate-to-advanced C++ topics for real programmers. It's hard to find a book with so many crucial solutions for production development. No ivory tower drivel here - this book has industrial-strength techniques that will keep you on target. And this is more than just practical C++; this is a usable catalog of powerful software design tactics from someone who really knows. When you hit a wall (you know you will), chances are Matthew can help you over, around, or through - whatever it takes. (And the phraseology from a Brit living Down Under makes for some good entertainment :-). -- Chuck Allison, Editor, The C++ Source

This book is a fantastic source of C++ information, ranging from contract programming, through multi-threading issues, to shims, veneers, and bolt-ins. Haven't heard of the last three? Well, beyond the treatment of topics that are already in your vocabulary, Matthew thoroughly discusses inventions of his own (and/or refinements of existing techniques). I especially enjoyed parts two and three of the book, where the foundation from part one is put to real-world use. As this is, to a large extent, a practical guide to taming the beast that is C++, it fills a hole left open by many other (more theoretical) books. The author has quite a unique writing style, which reflects his colorful personality - resulting in a rewarding and fun read. In a sea of C++ pop, Imperfect C++ stirs up the water with some soul.